[QUOTE]Russian media mogul Alexander Lebedev has been charged with hooliganism in Russia after he punched a fellow guest during a TV debate last year.
Mr Lebedev, who owns Britain's Independent and Evening Standard newspapers, faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.
[B]In September 2011, he knocked former real estate businessman Sergei Polonsky off his chair during the heated debate.[/B]
[B]Mr Lebedev says the case is a vendetta for his criticism of the Kremlin.[/B]
The 52-year-old was charged with hooliganism and assault "motivated by political, ideological, racial, national or religious hatred, or hatred of a particular social group" - the same offence that three members of Russia's Pussy Riot punk group were jailed for earlier this year.
[B]Mr Lebedev - whose net worth was recently reported by Forbes magazine to be $1.1bn (£680m) - has already signed an undertaking not to leave Russia, prosecutors say.
[/B]
The former KGB agent also holds a major stake in Russia's opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta.
'Threat neutralised'
The punch-up happened during the show NTVshniki, which was broadcast on 16 September 2011.
Mr Lebedev said after the incident that Mr Polonsky was about to hit him so he had acted in self-defence.
[B]He told Russia's Interfax news agency: "At one point, expounding on an idea of his and looking straight at me, he said: 'This deserves a punch in the face'.
"I asked 'Do you mean me?', and he shouted 'Yes!' After that, I very neatly neutralised this absolutely unfounded threat."[/B]
Mr Polonsky claimed after the show that he had a cut on his arm and his trousers were torn.[/QUOTE]
[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19732368[/url]'
Video in source
7 years is a bit much for a punch. If everybody got 7 years for punching someone then night clubs would be empty
[QUOTE=SiMoN 23259;37817899]7 years is a bit much for a punch. If everybody got 7 years for punching someone then night clubs would be empty[/QUOTE]
Up to 7 years if convicted.
"hooliganism"
hng
[QUOTE=W0w00t;37818490]"hooliganism"
hng[/QUOTE]
At least he wasn't "cyberbullying" or "publicy urinating and/or masturbating"
Hooliganism? They weren't even wearing jerseys! Sad to see such broken justice systems. I hope they at least hear out his defense, unlike what happened with [I]that band[/I] not too long ago.
Would of been way better if it was a knock out punch
At least rich people can still get in jail in Russia...
He hasn't even been convicted yet though, there still has to be a trial etc. Although it would probably be hilarious as a guard to watch a billionere try to get along in a prison.
[QUOTE=znk666;37818609]At least rich people can still get in jail in Russia...[/QUOTE]
Actually normally they can bribe their way out of shit
[QUOTE=SiMoN 23259;37817899]7 years is a bit much for a punch. If everybody got 7 years for punching someone then night clubs would be empty[/QUOTE]
Exile him to Siberia.
Seeing as he's a former KGB office he probably deserves to do time for far more than hooliganism.
"Hooliganism" has become the regimes new favorite tool for locking undesirables away for a long time, hasn't it?
[QUOTE=ewitwins;37821325]"Hooliganism" has become the regimes new favorite tool for locking undesirables away for a long time, hasn't it?[/QUOTE]
Most likely corrupt billionere, former KGB agent, punching somebody over a debate on live TV. Yeah I'm fine with it.
[QUOTE=Blanketspace;37821051]Seeing as he's a former KGB office he probably deserves to do time for far more than hooliganism.[/QUOTE]
And won't be getting any time at all when the country is also run by a former KGB agent.
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